Workflows, SOPs & Process Improvement
How to Identify and Fix Workflow Bottlenecks
Find where work waits before asking people to move faster.
Published · Updated · 3 min read
When reports, referrals, or approvals repeatedly run late, start by following the work—not by adding another reminder.
Choose one recent item and trace it from request to completion. Record where it waited, returned for clarification, or moved into a second tracker. Then test one change at the point creating the delay.
For an operations leader coordinating several teams, this makes the problem more specific than “we need better communication.”
Separate working time from waiting time
A report may take a short period to prepare and several days to approve. Asking the writer to work faster will not address that queue.
Walk through a small sample with the people involved. Include ordinary cases and an exception. Record:
- The trigger and completed outcome.
- Each step and owner.
- Information and tools used.
- Time spent working and waiting.
- Missing information, repeated entry, and rework.
Use what happened, not just what the procedure says should happen.
Identify the delay you can act on
| Signal | Question to investigate |
|---|---|
| Approval queue | What decision is required, and who can make it? |
| Incomplete handoff | What must be present before the next person can act? |
| Repeated questions | Are instructions current, accessible, and specific? |
| Duplicate tracking | Which record is authoritative, and why do other lists exist? |
| Rework | Are expectations clear before work reaches review? |
Do not remove a control simply because it creates a wait. Confirm its purpose with the person responsible for service quality, confidentiality, financial accountability, or another applicable requirement.
Test one change
In a hypothetical nonprofit, program staff email monthly reporting information to operations. The coordinator transfers it into a spreadsheet and repeatedly follows up for missing dates.
The first test could be a shared submission location with agreed required fields—not a new reporting platform.
Before starting, record:
- Who owns the test.
- What will change.
- What requirements stay protected.
- What you will observe.
- When the team will review the result.
Check whether the whole workflow improved
Compare how often submissions come back incomplete and how long they wait at the selected step. Use a consistent method and note unusual conditions, such as staff absence or a different mix of cases.
Ask the next person in the workflow what changed for them. A faster submission is not an improvement if it creates more cleanup later.
If the test helps, update the shared procedure and retire confusing duplicates through your normal review process. If ownership remains unclear, use the small-team ownership map.
For a practical worksheet that helps you select and work through one priority, use the Operational Capacity Playbook.
By the way, what might you notice if you looked at your operations through a financial lens? I made a quiz to help you explore that. Take the Operations & Funds Check